Google Wave Terminology

Guess what!

Though this whole ‘Google Wave’ thing is still very very young, it has already got its own terms and definitions.

Not enough for a full glossary (just yet), I am afraid, but here are a few that you should know before they launch it:

• What is a Wave:
  A wave is basically a threaded conversation. It can include one or more users or even robots. It’s very good at storing your entire conversation with someone (or, again, a group of other users).
• What is a Wavelet:
  A wavelet is also a threaded conversation, but it’s a smaller part of a wave. It’s like a single Instant Messenger conversation with someone. You can manage and create Wavelets independently from waves.
• What is a Blip:
  A Blip is smaller than a wavelet It is more like a single message (single line of an IM conversation). Blips can have other blips (called children) assigned to them.
• What is a Document:
  A document actually refers to the content within a blip. This seems to refer to the actual characters, words, and files associated with a blip.
• What is an Extension:
  An extension is a mini-application that works within a wave. So these are the apps you can play with while using Wave. There are two main types of extenisons: Gadgets and Robots
• What is a Gadget:
  A gadget is an application users can participate with, many of which are built on Google’s OpenSocial platform. A good comparison would be iGoogle gadgets or Facebook applications.
• What is a Robot:
  Robots are an automated participant within a wave. They can talk with users and interact with waves. They can provide information from outside sources (i.e. Twitter) or they can check content within a wave and perform actions based on them (i.e. provide you a stock quote if a stock name is mentioned).
• What is an Embeded Wave:
  An embeded wave is a way to take a Google Wave and the conversation within it and place it on your website. Users could use this as a chatroom, as a way to contact you, or for something more.